Justin Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision in the UFC 324 main event to claim the interim lightweight championship for the second time. This victory propelled Gaethje to #1 in the lightweight rankings, displacing Arman Tsarukyan to #2, with Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway dropping to #3 and #4. Ilia Topuria, the undisputed lightweight champion, is now set to face Gaethje next. The win solidifies Gaethje's position as the top contender in a stacked division. UFC 324 marked the promotion's debut on Paramount+.
Reports out of UFC 324 indicate that Justin Gaethje captured the interim lightweight championship for the second time in his career, defeating Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision in the main event. The win, which has not been officially confirmed, reportedly positions Gaethje as the division's top contender and sets up a unification bout against undisputed lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. UFC 324 also reportedly marked the promotion's first event broadcast on Paramount+.
Gaethje's victory reshuffled the lightweight rankings according to these reports, with Arman Tsarukyan sliding to number two, Charles Oliveira dropping to third, and Max Holloway falling to fourth.
Oliveira, the 36-year-old Brazilian out of Chute Boxe Diego Lima, carries a 37-11-0 record and sits at number eleven in the pound-for-pound rankings. The submission specialist averages 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes and 2.22 takedowns over the same span, making him one of the most dangerous grapplers in the division at five-foot-ten with a 74-inch reach.
Holloway, now ranked fourth at lightweight, holds a 27-9-0 record. The 34-year-old American and pound-for-pound number nine fighter is among the sport's most prolific volume strikers, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach, he remains a constant threat in any lightweight title conversation.
Topuria, the unbeaten 17-1-0 undisputed champion, holds the number one pound-for-pound ranking at just 29 years old. The Spain-based Georgian lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and averages nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes, showcasing a well-rounded skill set at five-foot-seven.
Why it matters
- A unification bout between Gaethje and Topuria would determine the undisputed lightweight champion
- The reshuffled rankings push Oliveira and Holloway further from an immediate title shot
- Topuria's pound-for-pound supremacy faces its most direct test yet if the matchup is confirmed
- This story remains unconfirmed and should be treated as a report until official UFC announcement
